Wailana The Waterbug

Wailana, the waterbug, wakes up everyday to play with her friends and soon feels the joy of turning into a dragonfly.

Three decades ago in a cordoned-off corner of the developing world an angry Catholic priest armed only with pencil, paper, and crayons, declared a revolution. From a shanty school shared with Buddhists and Muslims in Bangkok's squatter slums, Father Joe Maier began his advance on abject poverty. Today, his Human Development Foundation and Mercy Centre charity is responsible for thirty-two preschools that have taught more than twenty thousand children how to read and write. Despite the crippling neglect found in impoverishment, he is raising international scholars and injecting a sense of purpose into shantytowns and squatter camps that used to have neither.

Merry, a Christmas Elf, falls from Santa's sleigh and lands in Hawaiʻi. Dismayed at the lack of snow or reindeer, he soon discovers the wonders of a Hawaiian Christmas, with the help of Mele the Menehune.

On the island of Oʻahu, Kimo, a brave young cockroach, dreams of a better life for all roaches. Tired of living in the garbage, Kimo sets off on his quest to prove that roaches deserve a respected place in the insect kingdom.

When Eddie Akamai fails the third grade reading test, he runs away to an enchanted island where all the creatures know how to read and write. Parents can read this chapter book aloud to introduce phonics, whole language, and a love of reading. Highly recommended for challenged readers.